Agenda and minutes

Councillor P Groves                                    Finance and Assets Portfolio Holder

Councillor R Bailey                         Children and families Portfolio Holder

Councillor J Clowes                                    Adults health and Leisure Portfolio Holder

Councillor A Arnold                         Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder

Councillor D Stockton                     Regeneration and Assets Portfolio Holder

Councillor P Findlow                      Performance portfolio Holder

Peter Bates               Chief Operating Officer

Kath O’Dwyer           Executive Director-Children's Services/Deputy Chief Executive

Brenda Smith           Director, Adult Social Care & Independent Living

Paul Bayley              Principal Manager Local Community Services

Alex Thomson          Corporate Manager Strategy & Reporting

Steve Reading         Principal Accountant

Carl Griffin                Locum Consultant Public Health

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 3 September 2015.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 3 September 2015 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of the existence of a party whip.

There were no members of the public present who wished to speak.

To consider a report of the Chief Operating Officer.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Operating Officer setting out the Council’s financial and non financial performance at the mid year stage of 2015/16 and highlighted the latest progress towards achieving the Council’s Residents First Outcomes as described in the Council’s three year plan 2013 to 2016. The report indicated that permanent savings of £5m in management costs had been achieved from 2013/14 to 2014/15.

Annex 1of the report set out further details of how the Council was performing in 2015/16. 

Section 1 provided a Summary of Council Performance – brought together the positive impact that service performance and financial performance had had on the 5 Residents First Outcomes in the first half of the year.

Section 2 -Financial Stability - provided an update on the Council’s overall financial position. It demonstrated how spending in 2015/16 had been funded, including the positions on overall service budgets, grants, council tax and business rates, treasury management, centrally held budgets and the management of the Council’s reserves.

Section 3 - Workforce Development- provided a summary of the key issues relating to the Council’s workforce development plan. 

RESOLVED -

(a)  That the report be received;

(b)  That the committee notes the projected overspend of £0.5million and acknowledges that this is  the smallest projected overspend at this point in time in the budget since the inception of Cheshire East;

(c)  That in consequence, the Committee is of the opinion that on the whole the mid year performance report indicates that operationally, the Council is in a strong position.

To consider a report of the Chief Operating Officer.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Operating Officer setting out the Council’s pre-budget report 2016/17. The report provided detail as to how the Council intended to vary existing budgets in order to continue to maintain viable and sustainable services and specifically set out proposals to:

i.              Maintain appropriate reserves levels that protected against risks.

ii.            Ensure no additional borrowing in 2016/17.

iii.           Achieve Net Revenue Budget savings in response to forecast reductions in Government Grants of £13m, additional service demands of £5.3m and inflationary pressures of £5.4m, totalling £23.7m.

iv.           The committee was informed that comments received throughout the budget setting process would support Cabinet in developing a balanced budget which would be agreed in February 2016, and at this stage in the process, Overview and Scrutiny Members were being provided with an opportunity to consider proposals contained within the report, and to consider additional recommendations for consideration as potential budget variations.

v.             

Each Head of Service was then invited to highlight the main budget proposals relating to to their respective service areas.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report be received and the more detailed information provided in this year’s report be welcomed;

(b)  That Cabinet be requested to re-consider the proposal to reduce Council Tax Support Compensation grant for Town and Parish Councils totalling £0.3 million as outlined on page 98 of the agenda pack;

(c)  That the proposal to fill the current vacancy for a Section 106 officer be welcomed;

(d)  That in future years, Cabinet be requested to provide disaggregated budgets for each of the 6 Overview and Scrutiny Committees as part of the formal budget consultation process.

(a)  To consider a report of the Head of Governance and Stewardship;

(b)  To appoint Members to the ‘Parking outside schools’ Task and Finish Group

The Committee reviewed its work programme.

RESOLVED –

(a)  – That the work programme be noted;

(b)  That the following Members be appointed to the ‘parking outside schools’ Task and Finish group:

M Simon (Chairman)

M Beanland

M Grant

S Pochin

B Walmsley

To note the current forward plan, identify any new items, and to determine whether any further examination of new issues is appropriate.

The Committee reviewed the forward plan.

RESOLVED – that the forward plan be received and noted.